Officials Tell Grieving Family They Fatally Shot Homeowner Believing Him To Be Wanted Parolee

Related Tags:

PICO RIVERA (CBSLA.com) — The tragedy for the Mendoza family of Pico Rivera — on losing family patriarch Frank to gun violence Friday evening — was perhaps only compounded upon learning he was shot, accidentally, by law enforcement.

KCAL9’s Crystal Cruz was at a news conference Saturday evening where LA County Chief Detective William McSweeney told reporters that a deputy “fired two shots at Mendoza believing he was [suspect] Ramirez.”

Friday evening, the suspect, Cedric Ramirez — a 24-year-old parolee wanted for weapons possession and a stolen car — was fleeing officers when he ran into the Mendoza home, about a block away from his home.

The Mendozas were strangers to Ramirez. Frank Sr., 54, was killed and his 60-year-old wife, Lorraine, was held hostage for more than eight hours before police stormed the home and killed Ramirez.

Cruz reported that the Sheriff’s Department contacted both of Mendozas sons — Jeremy and Frank Jr. — to offer condolences.

Cruz reported, “Lorraine Mendoza walked slowly to a waiting car. She didn’t talk, she didn’t have to. The way she moved said it all. She endured a night most of us can’t even imagine.”

Her husband was dead outside, she was held hostage.

“She was locked in the bathroom. She thought that was the safe thing to do,” said Jeremy.